Why Do Russian Speakers Say 'Don't Do Nothing' Instead of 'Don't Do Anything'?

Understanding the linguistic roots of this common English mistake among Russian speakers and others

Hi Qian,

Your question is insightful, and it's not just Russian speakers who make this mistake. Many English speakers, especially those from Slavic backgrounds, tend to use the phrase 'don't do nothing' instead of the more grammatically correct 'don't do anything'. There are several reasons for this:

Reasons Behind 'Don't Do Nothing'

Association with Negative Concepts: The thought process of the speaker often revolves around negative connotations. 'Don't' and 'nothing' both carry negative meanings, making them a natural fit in this construction. In many languages, including Russian, this type of double negative often aligns with the intended meaning.

Word-for-Word Translation

Translation Mistakes from Russian: A primary reason is the direct word-for-word translation from Russian. In Russian, the sentence 'не делай ничего' (ne delei ni?ego) translates to 'don't do nothing' in English, but the structure is incorrect according to English grammar rules. Speakers, especially those without a strong background in English grammar, may fall back on their native language patterns, leading to such mistakes.

Permission to Use Double Negatives

Language Rules in Slavic Languages: Slavic languages, including Russian, have a more flexible approach to double negatives. In these languages, the use of double negatives is not only accepted but sometimes necessary to convey the full meaning. However, English has stricter rules against using two negatives in a single sentence, which can lead to confusion among learners.

Examples from Other Languages

Romance Languages: Even in Romance languages, double negatives can be common in spoken English. For instance, in Spanish, you might hear 'no haces nada', meaning 'you don't do anything', which is a similar structure to 'don't do nothing'. This shows that this pattern is not unique to Russian and can be found in varied linguistic contexts.

Similarly, languages like Czech, Polish, Ukrainian, Serbian, and others all permit the use of double negatives in similar constructions. This further reinforces the idea that this is a common pattern across many Slavic and Romance languages, often carried over by non-native speakers into English.

Common Misunderstandings and Misconceptions

Double Negation in Russian: While it might seem counterintuitive, double negation is actually quite common in Russian. The structure 'не делаете нечего' (ne delayete nechem) conveys the idea of 'not doing anything' in a way that aligns with this mistake. However, this structure is not typically used in English.

Impact of Living in an English-Speaking Environment: For many second-language speakers, especially those who have grown up in a Slavic environment but live in an English-speaking country, such patterns can remain intact. As they become more comfortable in their new language environment, they often realize that this is a common pattern among native English speakers as well.

Young Children and Language Acquisition

Mistakes Made by Young Children: Interestingly, even young children often use this construction, which can be seen as a natural part of language acquisition. In places like New York City, you might hear this construction quite frequently, especially from young children or non-native speakers.

In conclusion, the phrase 'don't do nothing' is not unique to Russian speakers. Rather, it's a reflection of how our native languages influence our cross-linguistic communication and how translation from one language to another, especially for those with limited exposure to new grammatical structures, can lead to common mistakes. Understanding these patterns helps us appreciate the complexities and nuances of multiple language systems.

Keywords: Russian English, Double Negation, Language Errors, Linguistic Translation